The Pentagon will pay for the Czech Republic to upgrade 45 Soviet-era T-72 tanks for use in Ukraine, as part of the Biden administration’s latest $400 million package of military aid for the country, the department announced Friday.Meanwhile, the Netherlands will fund the refurbishment of another 45 Czech T-72 tanks for a total of 90 that are set to begin arriving in Ukraine by the end of the year, said Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh.The U.S. has hesitated to provide Abrams, which guzzle fuel and would require training for the Ukrainians to use.The new air defense equipment will help Ukraine defend against “brutal” attacks from Russian drones and cruise missiles, Singh added, although she declined to say how many missiles would be transferred or to give an exact timeline for the delivery.During the winter months, the front is likely to stabilize around Kharkiv and Bakhmut, in central Ukraine, but it’s still not clear how the battle around Kherson will end up before the weather stalls the fight, the official said."